Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-01-06
A VAGABOND.

Jimmy Gayle sat on the pine straw
with his back against a tree. and look
ell about him. 1t was a dry, bright,
dusty day of autumn, with burning
sun and cool wind. October had pass
ed through the woods with her torch,
aud set the branches on fire; and in
spite of the glow of noon, there was a
feeling in the air of the slow approach
of winter.
Meanwhile, Jmmy's hand organ
rested on the ground beside him. and
the attendant monkey gambolled as far
as his chain would allow But Beppo
had that amiable and patient DISPOSE
ton. common to monkeys, which seems
tolend itself readily to monotonous
life. and seeks to alleviate it by
hundred little branks
He seated himself on stump, and
began to munich raw onion that he
held in both paws; wrinkling his wien
ed face in an agonized way as he bit in
to the odorous bulb. Then. to add
variety to the repast. he flung the
onion on the ground, and pitched head
long after it from the stump Then he
tried holding it with his hind-paws
while he ate. Then be discarded it al
together, and scrambled toward Jimmy,
at an awkward run unpleasantly sug-
gestive of human be ng on all-fours.
Then he made futile grab at pass
ing fy--eXamined his empty paw
cautiously, and stuffed it into his mouth
with foolish SHIPPER
But the onion was the beginning and
end of all things and he always re-
turned to it with undated interest.
He had self-conscious air. perhaps
the result of his publ C career; al
though. indeed the monkey is the only
animal capable of expressing self-con-
seriousness. The others are supremacy
Indifferent to the opinions of mankind.
But Jimmy was not thinking of
Beppo. He threw off his battered hat,
and ran his hands through his hair.
That is good" said he; lit makes
me feel young"
1t had been many year since he had
set his feet in this corner of Mississippi;
but the face of nature does not grow
out of all knowledge" as towns and
people do. The spot looked as young
As when his eyes first beheld it.
Must be gettin' old, he unused. II
didn't use to like the thought o. home
seemed TO me like bein' tied down to one
spot. an drudgin' there all your days"
The 'voice of the highway" had al
ways called strenuously upon Jimmy.
He was born vagabond and hum
drum. respectable life would have been
unspeakably irksome to him.
He had married early, and, TO please
Annie, his fresh-cheeked young wife,
he had stuck manfully to his trade OF
tinsmith.
But when she died. leaving year old
child, the obligation seemed to be dis
solved. and he began to lead a rowing
life, picking up odd jobs here and there,
and falling into the souching gait OF
the tramp.
Mrs. Crane, the widowed sister of his
wife. had little patience with him.
you amt fittin' to have the charge
of a child" she said. you give Liner
to me, an I'll take care o. her. II
you kin make out to do it, you'd better
send me some money. now and then, to
paw for her clo's-not that l count
much on your dom it," she added, Sc.
verely.
Since then. Jimmy had been a wan
derer. He had seen many cities, and
known many hardships; but had always
managed to pick up a living-and. after
all. how much better it was than being
fettered by all sorts of rules!
At last, one day in New Orleans, the
bright idea occurred to him to buy the
hand-organ and monkey of an Italian
who was anxious to sell. Jimmy had
tried to drive sharp bargain on the
plea that the monkey, as well as the
hand-organ. was ''secoud-handed. "
But the Italian maintained stoutly that
Beppo was as good as new, and would
not abate his price by so much as one
cent.
1t proved an excellent investment,
for Jimmy went into the rural districts
where monkeys and hand-organs are
exciting novelties, and the public ear
is not stated with constant repetitions OF
the "Gobble Duet" and "Good-by,
honey. I'm gone.
At whatever cluster of houses he
stopped, he was sure OF an admiring
audience, and Beppo always handed
his gaudy cap back to his master quite
heavy with small coin. 1t was Beppc
who made the performance a success,
for the children shrieked with delight
as he hobbled about, cap in hand, his
tail protruding absurdly from his scar
let shirt.
So Jimmy had made money, and,
strange to say. had saved it,
In his vagabond life, he had taken
little note of time, and now, when he
stopped to think, he was startled to
find how many years had reeled away.
I'm gettin' on in years" he said to
himself. with pang.
Was the day to come when his ears
would be too dull to hear tho voice OF
the highway, his limbs too feeble TO
follow. even IL he heardp Somehow. he
wanted to get home" again, and, by
this token, he seemed to feel the first
chill breath Of approaching age.
He wanted to see Lima, his daught-
er, who must be nigh onto twenty
year." rs he phrased it.
Lima woman! II was strange! He
took from his pocket tintype Of Lima
at SIX months-a goggle-eyed baby
with indistinct features-and then be